Color and Mood

Psychologists have long since theorized that people's preferences for color, and color mixes, have deep psychological affects upon your mood and/or feelings.

In fact, research does suggest that color can affect your being and that your choice of color, or combinations of color, is significant to your mood.

An example of this is that healthy people will prefer colors, and color mixtures, that reflect their health both physically and mentally.

Furthermore, your color preferences are not necessarily fixed and they will vary even within a given day depending on your mood.

Recent studies suggest that we don't actually see color, but "feel" it instead.

Colors behave in three basic ways: active, passive and neutral.

If you remember the basics between these three actions, you can decorate and dress for success.

ACTIVE COLORS 

Active colors are warm colors, including yellow, orange and red. These colors inspire positiveness and exude confidence from extroverts. Warm colors can also inspire conversation and upbeat attitudes. Reds heat up a room like no other hue. Wake up an entryway with fire engine red or warm a den with deep maroon. Yellows and golden colors unleash creative activity and work well in offices, kitchens and study areas.

PASSIVE COLORS

Cool colors pacify and restore. Bedrooms, private areas and bathrooms are great places for blues, greens and purples.

NEUTRAL COLORS

Think of neutralizing colors as "uncolors." Beiges, grays, whites and taupes do not activate or pacify. Instead, they work together with the other colors to bridge rooms and provide transition.

PAINTING WALLS

You can easily change the look or feel of a room by redressing the walls. Mixing and matching colors within the same color scheme is an excellent way to balance color and emotion, and provide a welcoming feel to guests. The following gives a general guideline for wall painting and mood when using passive, active and neutral colors:

NEUTRAL COLORS

Neutral colors, such as pale gray, taupe and beige, send a restful message to your brain. It's not a coincidence that most doctor's offices, coffee shops, spas and mental health centers decorate in neutrals. Neutral colors can actually "destress" individuals.

BRIGHT, WARM COLORS

To create a feeling of warmth and coziness in a room, use bright, warm colors like yellows, oranges and reds. These colors make good choices for rooms that appear cool due to limited, natural sunlight. Mixing several different shades of warm colors evokes positive, cheerful reactions.

YELLOWS

Yellow color schemes add cheeriness to dull rooms. Therapists often use colors with the yellow scheme to boost mood. You can achieve the same effect by adding yellows to rooms which are not associated with happy thoughts, such as kitchens and laundry rooms. Yellows can also be used to increase energy.

COOL COLORS

In rooms where there's plenty of sunshine, cool colors can provide a calming ambience. Sage greens and sky blues are perfect for bedrooms, playrooms and activity areas. Other cool colors, such as blues and greens, can evoke quiet moods and even sadness. For this reason, cool colors aren't generally used in large areas.

PRIMARY COLORS

Let your playful side come out by painting with the primary colors. Young, playful moods are brought to the surface with primary colors. Children's bedrooms are a great area to use primary colors in.

REDS

Red is a power color, often used to invigorate your environment. Red is also said to stimulate and symbolize passion. Remember that red hot date dress?

COLORS BY MOOD

Here's a quick rundown of individual colors and the moods they support.

PINK-soothes, promotes affection.

YELLOW-cheers, increases energy, expands the size of a room.

WHITE-purifies, unifies, enlivens other colors.

BLACK-authoritative, shows discipline, encourages independence.

ORANGE-cheers, stimulates appetite and conversation.

RED-empowering

GREEN-balances, refreshes

PURPLE-comforts, creates mystery

BLUE-relaxes, cools

TIPS AND TRICKS

COOL colors make a room seem larger than it is, and WARM colors make rooms feel smaller. 

Mixing different shades of beige and white will add a classy feel to any size room.

To temper wall color choices, pick out furniture and accessories that will provide a visual contrast. Brick-red painted trim, for example, can be balanced with antique-white rugs.